I need help With my spring cleanups! Please

[chuckhopkins76]

Just do the work and do a good job. If you make money or loose money, do your best and you will learn how to price the next time. Maybe you will also pick up all of these customers on a regular mowing basis. I am in your boat i am new also. I do not have any buddies to ask, so I'm just quoteing what I feal I need to at least make a little. One day I will be a pricing pro. Good luck to me and you both.

[sdk1959]

Like the others posters stated you should have it spelled out whats included in your spring clean-up and what is extra with commercial & residential accounts.

When dealing with residential customers for spring clean-ups with leftover leaves from the fall in the beds & flowers coming up be careful in your estimate. Most normal people have a leaf clean-up done in the fall & thier yard & beds are cleared of leaves when the flowers have all died back and damaging them is not a problem.

Stupido people leave the fall leaves there all winter and want the beds cleaned out in the spring just as the early flowers are coming up and don't want them damaged. Pretty hard not to when the flowers may be hidden under the leaves and your using rakes and blowers to clean out the beds.

Ask if they have flowers in the beds and tell them & write in your estimates you are not responsible for any damage to flowers. If they ask why tell them leaf clean-up should be done in the fall when the flowers have died back, not in the spring when they are just coming up and can be damaged. If they balk, walk. You'll be glad you did.

[tmc8524]

As far as pricing goes, look at the job after youve done a couple to get your feet wet. Keep in mind how long similar jobs took you before and estimate how long it will take you. I charge between 40-50 $/hr depending on the customer and how tough the job is. Just a tip don't ever tell them you are charging by the hr or they will think you are screwing them, also, unless you have major competition start kind of high and if they say gee that's a lot, then maybe work with them a little. If they don't say anything about the price then you made good money. But mainly keep a fair price, do the best you can and you both will be happy. You win some and you lose some.

[Mahoney3223]

does anyone on here realize lose is spelled with 1 "o" not two. guess that's why we cut grass...derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....also how do you have 30 accounts in one year?? sounds suspicious

[THC]

I power rake, use a blower to clean beds and bushes (I blow it onto the lawn), I'll use what ever method of gather and bagging the thatch that is the fastest. Blowers, hand rakes, vacuum.. sometimes all three. Sometimes I'll cut it after with a bagger but only for regular maintenance customers. Buy lots of VERY large heavy duty bags and I fill them up using a scoop shovel.

I use to include power brooming of sand and gravel from left over snow banks but this year it's separate if they want it.

[badgerfan]

Originally Posted by Mahoney3223

does anyone on here realize lose is spelled with 1 "o" not two. guess that's why we cut grass...derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....also how do you have 30 accounts in one year?? sounds suspicious

Actually now at 32 accounts and growing by about 3 per day. No that is not a lie just tremendous amounts of effort in expanding

[wildlandscape]

I have the Jrco rake for my Scag and it is amazing with all the stuff it pulls up. I do not include this service in my spring clean up though, it is an extra piece of equipment that needs to be bought and maintained so it costs extra,